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The Ritau Coast
The Ritau Coast is a loose term for the very south-eastern corner of Sar, just below Egress with the Atoan Mountains to the north-west. It is sparsely populated with many people continuing to move to warmer, safer, more prosperous and fertile regions in northern Sar. It borders Winnalow in the west and Egress in the north, with a loose, fuzzy border existing between the Atoan Mountains and the coast. Geography & Climate The region is southerly and facing onto the Elian Ocean, which lends itself to cold, windy weather for much of the year except for the summer months, with a lot of rain but little snow. The central hub of the area is Emenes, a moderately sized city and the only one along Ritau. It is a significant port city that breaks up the long journey from Ossu in the north to the richer trading destinations further north past the Ritau Point, which is a significant trading route for merchants. Korin's Quay is the only other significant town in Ritau, a fishing town with some trading links to the north but largely in the shadow of Emenes, but has a vibrant market and serves as a market for the more northern villages and to trade goods to merchants on their way to Emenes. Roxhill is a small village to the north-west of Korin's Quay and known for stout ales made from barley. Elluran is the most northern village in the area, in the foothills of the Atoan Mountains and bordering Egress. a hardy, short folk with traces of dwarf in their blood, some prospecting and mining occurs around this village as well as the more usual farming. West Vialm is far from Emenes and while being tiny has a larger percentage of racial minorities, but doesn't have a strong economy due to it's distance from major trading points. The citizens are fairly impoverished and get by in hard winters by supplementing their diets with foraging, hunting and less salubrious pursuits. Roq is thriving and fairly prosperous, with rich potato and barley farmlands controlled by a multitude of stable families that are the backbone of the region's culture. They have a friendly rivalry with Senam as the other large, prosperous village in the region. Senam shares many qualities with Roq, but has fewer aristocratic families who are more wealthy and powerful, with roots further afield and with members that have regularly occupied some of the most important positions in Emenesi government, trade and culture. Arah is a coastal village famous for special fish stew recipes. Wido Beach is another coastal community, located high up on the bluffs surrounding a large bay. The people travel on seafaring short yachts to deliver wares such as potatoes and fish, given the season, to Emenes or to port towns in Winnalow. Known for the rustic beauty of Wido Beach, the village's namesake. Demography & Economy Like most of Sar, the region is largely agricultural, with primary exports being potatoes and beans that can handle the climate and poor soil. A spotty distribution of villages with small farming steads spread around Emenes and further to the north Sarians have relatively mixed skin tones, from sand to honey coloured, especially in the central regions which tend towards warm weather. Ritauan people tend to have a paler complexion than this, but with significant variety, more in keeping with those from the northern countries or those from Winnalow. This is partially related to the climate, but may also be as a result of early migration to the south from some tribes along early trading routes once Sar began to prosper. The average build and features of Ritauans tend to be slightly broader and muscular than average, with more pronounced nose and jaw than the softer features of central Sar. There are a relatively high mixing and prevalence of races compared to central Sar, which is dominated by humans, partially due to a spotty history with racial tolerance. The prevalence of trade and of the ports in Ritau lead to mixing with even more exotic races from the North or even from Galben, or further afield. Humans account for around 85% of the population, with the other 15% made up mostly of elves, dwarves and halflings in equal proportion. There are many visitors to Emenes who tend to be much more racially diverse, so there is an impression of greater diversity than among the locals.